Barrel lifting device



March 24, 1959 E. R. KUGHLER. 2,879,102

BARREL LIFTING DEVICE Original Filed June 11, 195] FIG. I

INVENTOR EDWIN R. KUGHLER ATTORNEYS United States Patent Original applicationhJune i1, 1 9s1, .sie -ia 1. No. 2so,sss,

now Patent'No. 2,757,812;-daiteWAugiist' 7, 1956. Digi7tlseg7gnd this application August 20, 1953, SerialNo.

i J it 2 Claims. 01-. 294 106 This invention relates to barrel-handling apparatus and has for its object to provide an attachment for an ordinary lift truck by means of which the operator of the lift truck without leaving his seat may pick up one or more barrels, transport them to a new location, and deposit them where desired. This application is a division of my pending application Serial No. 230,858 filed June 11, 1951 now Patent No. 2,757,812, dated August 7, 1956, and is directed to certain embodiments of my invention designed for handling barrels which are to be stored in vertical position, that is, resting on one end instead of on its side.

One of the objects of the invention of my abovementioned application is to provide an apparatus of the class described which is entirely automatic in gripping and releasing the barrels so that the driver of the lift truck performs no operations other than raising and lowering the lifting apparatus and driving the truck forward and backward as ordinarily required in picking up and trans porting a loaded pallet or skid.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following specification and the accompanying drawings, wherein I have described and illustrated certain preferred forms of my improved barrel-handling apparatus as will be later described.

In the said drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of my barrel-gripping device; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views of the barrel-gripping device shown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I have illustrated an attachment for the barrel-handling apparatus of my above-mentioned application by means of which the barrels may by manipulation of the lift truck be turned from horizontal to vertical position. The attachment does not interfere in any way with the operation of the lifting mechanism and need not be removed from the apparatus even though in the particular operation being carried on it is not used.

The two-barrel hoist illustrated in my said patent comprises two side bars 7, one of which is shown in Fig. 1, connected by cross bars 8, the frame so formed being clamped to the forks 6 of the lift truck, so that the lifting hooks 12 and 13 overlie the ends of two barrels lying side by side, all as described in my said application.

The attachment for a two-barrel hoist comprises two hooks indicated generally by reference numeral 25, one of which is shown, which are mounted to swing freely on the lower forward cross bar 8, which, as shown, is positioned above and slightly forward of the hooks 12. The two hooks 25 are mounted on the cross bar immediately adjacent the hooks 12 and in normal operation, that is, when there is no load on the apparatus, extend downwardly below the hooks 12 by a sufficient distance for the hooks 12 to be completely clear of the barrels on the upward movement of the lifting device before the hooks 25 engage the rims of the barrels. Each hook 25 has pivoted on one side a lug or finger 26 whose free end projects rearwardly and upwardly in a position to engage under the flange of the barrel if the upward movement of 2,879,102 Patented Mar. 24, 1959 the mechanism be continued after the hooks 12 are fully clear ofthe barrels; The lug or finger 26 is pivoted, to swing downwardly under the weight of the barrel. Each lug 26 projects forwardly from its pivot pin and is formed with "a projection or nose 27 whose upper edge presses against a locking member 28 also pivoted on the face of the book 25, the arrangement being such that when the lug 26 is turned about its pivot by pressure on its free end the locking member 28 will be turned on its pivot due to pressure of the nose 27 against the locking member to thereby move the free end of the'lockin'g member toward the free end of the lug 26. As shown more particularly in Fig.' 1,"aspring 30 attachedto the locking member holds the gripping members normally open to the extent permitted by stop pins 29. As the lift forks continue their upward movement the engagement of the barrel rims with the lugs 26 causes the lugs to turn about their pivots, pressing the projections 27 against the locking members 28 and thereby turning the locking members on their pivots until the rims of the barrels are gripped between the lugs 26 and the members 28. The greater the weight of the barrel and the consequent pull on the free ends of the lugs 26, the stronger the pressure of the locking members against the outer edges of the barrel rims. The barrel rims are thus tightly gripped by the lugs 26 and the locking members 28 and the continued upward movement of the lift will cause the front ends of the barrels to be raised. As the lifting movement is continued the truck is backed at the proper relative speed for the hooks 25 to substantially follow the arc of movement of the rims of the barrels in being lifted from horiizontal to vertical position. By means of the locking members 28 the barrels are so firmly held that they cannot be accidentally dislodged so long as any substantial portion of their weight is carried by the lugs 26. When the barrels are tilted to such an extent that the greater portion of the weight is forward of the points of contact with the ground, the barrels will tend to move more rapidly than the hooks and consequently the load will be taken off the lugs 26 and the springs 30 will release the locking members and allow the barrels to settle down on their ends.

In using the tilting attachment above described in conjunction with the lifting mechanism, the lift truck operator has merely to back his truck slightly away from the barrels after the hook 12 is clear of the rim of the barrel but while the book 25 is below the level of the rim. He then elevates the lifting forks and at the same time shifts his truck away from the barrels which will be released and swing clear of the hooks as soon as the centers of gravity of the barrels are beyond the points of contact of the barrels with the ground.

I have shown my improved barrel tilting device as attached to the form of barrel hoisting attachment wherein the barrels are carried in horizontal position but the tilting device'may obviously be used alone or in conjunction with a barrel hoisting device for handling barrels in upright position, such, for example, as that illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of my above mentioned patent. When used alone the barrel may be transported by the lift truck by the simple expedient of elevating the lifting cross head of the truck while the barrel is still gripped by the jaws. As long as the weight of the barrel is on the jaws the rim will be tightly gripped, but when the barrel is lowered to the ground the jaws will release themselves as described.

In the foregoing specification I have described certain modifications of my improved barrel upending apparatus, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular modification disclosed but that the struc ture may be otherwise modified without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

ice

upending a barrel on its side, said means comprising a frame for attachment to a lift truck, a swinging member on saidtra'me, a hook at its lower free end, a barrelengaging lug at the end of said hook, a locking member co-opera'ting with said lug and connections between the lug and 'the locking member whereby pressure on the end 'of the lug causes the locking member to move toward the end of the lug to thereby engage the rim of a barrel between the lug and the locking member when the lug engages the barrel rim and the hook is elevated to lift the end of the barrel.

2. A barrel upending apparatus consisting of a frame for attachment to a lift truck and a barrel rim gripping mechanism carried thereby, said rim gripping mechanism comprising a pair of pivoted jaws positioned for swinging movement in the same plane and operative connections between the jaws whereby movement of one jaw in one direction about its pivot causes the other jaw to move about its pivot in the same direction and at a faster rate than the first mentioned jaw.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,272,447 Traxel Feb. 10, 1942 2,598,515 Dickson May 27, '1952 2,757,812 Kughler Aug. 7, 1956 

